Verbena plant named ‘Suntapilila’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Suntapilila’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; and light purple violet-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the foliar plane.

Botanical designation: Verbena×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNTAPILILA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant, botanically known as Verbena×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Suntapilila’.

The new Verbena plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely branching Verbena plants with upright and outwardly spreading plant habit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Verbena plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in November, 2004 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Verbena×hybrida identified as code number VW415, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Verbena×hybrida identified as code number VW203, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Verbena plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in October, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Verbena plant by cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since October, 2005 has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Verbena have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Suntapilila’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Suntapilila’ as a new and distinct Verbena plant:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Light purple violet-colored flowers that are held above and         beyond the foliar plane.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in plant habit as plants of the new Verbena are more outwardly spreading than and not as upright as plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have violet-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Verbena are not as trailing as plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the Verbena×hybrida ‘Suntapiripi’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,297. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Verbena differed primarily from plants of ‘Suntapiripi’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more upright than and not as         trailing as plants of ‘Suntapiripi’.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena were taller than plants of         ‘Suntapiripi’.     -   3. Plants of the new Verbena had longer internodes than plants         of ‘Suntapiripi’.     -   4. Plants of the new Verbena had longer and narrower leaves than         plants of ‘Suntapiripi’.     -   5. Flowers of plants of the new Verbena were smaller than         flowers of plants of ‘Suntapiripi’.     -   6. Flowers of plants of the new Verbena were darker and more         violet in color than flowers of plants of ‘Suntapiripi’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Verbena plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Verbena plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Suntapilila’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Suntapilila’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the late spring in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan under cultural practices typical of commercial Verbena production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena×hybrida ‘Suntapilila’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Verbena×hybrida identified as code number VW415, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Verbena×hybrida identified as code number VW203, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 20° C. to 25°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at             20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and outwardly spreading             plant habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral             branches developing per plant, pinching enhances lateral             branch development; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 56.5 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 29.6 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 1.4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 3.3 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong; flexible.         -   Texture.—Pubescent, strigose.         -   Color.—Close to 143B to 143C; at the peduncle, tinted with             close to 59C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.7 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Pinnately parted.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Pinnately cleft.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent, coarse.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 138B; venation, close to 144B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 143B with longitudinal lines,             close to 144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged in             hemispherical terminal racemes; flowers face mostly upright             and outwardly; flowers sessile; freely flowering habit with             about 17 flowers per inflorescence and numerous             inflorescences developing per plant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             spring to late autumn in Japan; plants begin flowering about             four weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the plant;             flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4 cm.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused,             five-parted. Diameter: About 1.3 cm. Depth (height): About             1.9 cm. Tube length: About 1.3 cm. Tube diameter: About 1.1             mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Shape: Clavate. Color: Close to N80A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused petals.             Petal length: About 6.1 mm. Petal width: About 5.4 mm. Petal             lobe shape: Cordate. Petal lobe apex: Cordate. Petal lobe             margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to N82A. Petal, when opening             and fully opened, lower surface: Close to N82C. Throat:             Close to 76B; proximally, close to 4D with longitudinal             lines, close to 76B. Tube: Close to 4D with longitudinal             lines, close to 76B.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One single narrow calyx tube per flower             with five fused sepals. Sepal length: About 1.2 mm. Sepal             width: About 0.2 mm. Sepal shape: Triangular. Sepal apex:             Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent. Sepal color: When developing, upper             surface: Close to 149B. When developing, lower surface:             Close to 143C. Fully developed, upper surface: Close to 143A             tinged with close to 59C. Fully developed, lower surface:             Close to 143C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 mm.             Strength: Strong; flexible. Texture: Pubescent, strigose.             Color: Close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement: Four             per flower, adnate to corolla tube. Anther shape:             Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 0.9 mm by 1.1 mm. Anther             color: Close to 1C. Pollen amount: None observed. Pistils:             Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 1.2 cm.             Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 145C. Style             color: Close to 145D. Ovary color: Close to N144C. Fruits             and seeds: Fruit and seed development have not been observed             on plants of the new Verbena. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 0° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Verbena     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Verbena plant named ‘Suntapilila’ as illustrated and described. 